Press-In Tartlet Shells

Oct 13, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

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A baked, empty press-in tartlet shells in a fluted tart pan on a marble counter, golden and crisp

Twelve small sweet pastry shells pressed into a muffin pan, no rolling, for pastry cream, curd and fruit tartlets.

Prep 20 min

Cook 18 min

Cooling 20 min

Total 58 min

Yield 8 slices

Ingredients

Adjust yield

slices

1 ½ cups (190 g)all-purpose flour
½ cup (60 g)powdered sugar
¼ tsp (1.5 g)fine sea salt
½ cup (113 g)unsalted butter, softened
1 (18 g)large egg yolk
1 tsp (5 ml)pure vanilla extract

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Instructions

Whisk the flour, powdered sugar and salt. Work in the soft butter, yolk and vanilla with your fingers until the dough clumps.
Divide into 12 balls and press each over the bottom and up the sides of a standard muffin cup, about 1/8 inch thick.
Prick the bottoms and freeze 20 minutes.
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake 16 to 18 minutes until golden. Cool 10 minutes, then lift out with a small offset spatula.

Tips

Press with a floured shot glass for even sides.
If a shell puffs, press it down with the back of a teaspoon as soon as it comes out of the oven.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make press-in tartlet shells?

Plan on 20 minutes of prep and 18 minutes of cooking, plus 20 minutes to chill. The recipe makes 12 tartlet shells.

How should I store press-in tartlet shells?

The baked shell keeps 2 days at room temperature in an airtight container; raw dough freezes 2 months.

Can I make press-in tartlet shells ahead?

Bake the shell a day ahead; fill it the day you serve.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (5 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Twelve small sweet pastry shells pressed into a muffin pan, no rolling, for pastry cream, curd and fruit tartlets.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 8 servings this recipe makes.

226 Calories / serving

12.3g Fat

25.7g Carbs

2.9g Protein

7.5g Sugar

Whole recipe (8 servings): ~1808 cal · 98g fat · 206g carbs · 23g protein · 60g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.